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Monday, May 9, 2016

What is it with Reds players getting injured? I'd love to be able to see what this team could do with a healthy lineup, but for now, everyone who's projected to be in the rotation at some point is on the disabled list. And just when we thought John Lamb was back, he's doubtful for his next start with a sprained thumb. This is not to mention Devin Mesoraco, who is likely out for the season now (and let's be grateful that Tucker Barnhart is maturing into an everyday catcher).

Baseball is not all about luck, but the ball does bounce in funny ways, and every way it's bounced lately has seemed to result in a Red getting injured. The frustrating thing about injuries (well, among many other things) is that you can't really blame anyone for the fact that they happen. Sure, maybe the trainer can be a scapegoat, but even the best trainers can't really prevent many injuries.

There is hope from all of this, as hard as it is to see sometimes. For one thing, injuries allow other players to blossom. Just look at Eugenio Suarez from last year, or Tucker Barnhart this year. Their successes have come only because the starters at their positions got injured. Injuries give other players chances who otherwise may not have gotten an opportunity. Just this year, the Reds have seen strong efforts already from Brandon Finnegan and Tim Adleman, who have both been called up due to injury and promise to be key parts of the team for years to come. When the rotation is healthy, we'll see players like Simon, Adleman, Finnegan, and Straily, who have had good starts, move to the bullpen, and hopefully stop the bleeding. At any rate, they can't do worse than the bullpen is doing now.